Building Construction Element of Wood

ABSTRACT

A building element of wood intended to be stacked on top of each other in order to form a wall of a building. The invention is characterised in that the element ( 1 ) is longitudinally extended and has a rectangular cross-section, in that the element is designed with a protruding pointed piece ( 2 ) at its first end and designed with a point-shaped cavity ( 3 ) at its second end, in that the pointed piece ( 2 ) and the point-shaped cavity ( 3 ) have the same shape such that the pointed piece of a first element fits into the said cavity of a second element, and in that penetrating holes ( 4 ) are formed by building elements ( 1 ) that lie on top of and adjacent to each other, and in that fixing means ( 7 ) are available in order to fix neighbouring building elements to each other.

The present invention relates to a building element.

Many different types of building element that can be stacked on top of each other in different manners and attached to each other in order to form the framework of a building are available.

Lafting construction is a traditional and well-established such technique for buildings of wood. This is based on relatively long timbers with an essentially square cross-section being stacked on top of each other and being locked relative to each other at the corner of the building under construction.

One problem with the building of a lafted building is that the timbers are heavy and that it requires considerable work to process the timbers such that they fit together at the corners. One advantage of lafted buildings is that it is possible to disassemble these buildings and rebuild them, provided that the individual timbers are labelled.

The present invention concerns a building element that provides the same advantage as lafting construction, while being light and cheap to mass-manufacture.

The present invention thus relates to a building element of wood intended to be stacked on top of each other in order to form a wall of a building, and it is characterised in that the element is longitudinally extended and has a rectangular cross-section, in that the element is designed with a protruding pointed piece at its first end and designed with a point-shaped cavity at its second end, in that the pointed piece and the point-shaped cavity have the same shape such that the pointed piece of a first element fits into the said cavity of a second element, and in that penetrating holes are formed by building elements that lie on top of and adjacent to each other, and in that fixing means are available in order to fix neighbouring building elements to each other.

The invention will be described in more detail below, partially with reference to embodiments of the invention shown in the attached drawings, where:

FIG. 1 shows building elements according to a first embodiment of the invention and illustrates how these are placed relative to each other,

FIG. 2 shows from the side a wall of building elements,

FIG. 3 shows a cross-section of the wall in FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 shows building elements according to a second embodiment and illustrates how these are laid relative to each other,

FIG. 5 shows a wall of building elements according to FIG. 4, seen from the side,

FIG. 6 shows a cross-section of the wall in FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 shows a corner element.

The building element 1 of wood is shown in FIG. 1 according to a first embodiment of the invention, which building elements are arranged to be stacked on top of each other in order to form a wall of a building. FIG. 1 illustrates also how building elements are laid relative to each other.

Each element 1 is, according to the invention, longitudinally extended and has a rectangular cross-section. The element 1 is designed with a protruding pointed piece 2 at its first end and with a point-shaped cavity 3 at its second end. The pointed piece 2 and the point-shaped cavity 3 have the same shape such that the pointed piece 2 of a first element 1 fits into the said cavity 3 of a second element 1. Furthermore, penetrating holes 4, 5, 6 are formed by building elements 1 that lie on top of and adjacent to each other. Furthermore, fixing means 7 are available in order to fix neighbouring building elements to each other.

A first row of elements 1 is placed against each other as is illustrated by the lower row in FIG. 1, after which a second row of elements is placed on top of the first row with its pointed ends directed in the opposite direction to that of the first row, as is illustrated in FIG. 1. A third row of elements is subsequently placed with its pointed ends directed in the same direction as those of the first row, etc., until the wall has obtained the height desired.

According to a first embodiment of the invention, shown in FIG. 1, the said penetrating holes 4 are located along the longitudinal axis of symmetry 8 of each element 1, closer to one of the ends of the element 1. The consequence of this is that when the holes of the elements coincide with each other such that a hole extends in the vertical direction through two or more elements, the elements will be located horizontally displaced relative to each other such that the junctions 9 between neighbouring elements 1 in a row of elements 1 do not coincide with the junctions 10 between neighbouring elements 1 in the row above or below, as is illustrated in FIG. 2.

According to a second embodiment of the invention, shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the two surfaces 11, 12 that form the said pointed piece, and the two surfaces 13, 14 that form the said cavity 3, are provided with cavities 15-18 in the form of semicircles that form together with a neighbouring building element the said penetrating hole 5, 6.

The said fixing means 7 for fixing neighbouring building elements 1 to each other consists of extended pieces of wood with a cross-section that corresponds to the cross-section of the said penetrating hole 4.

When a fixing means 7 is introduced into a hole 4 according to the first embodiment, or alternatively when a fixing means 7 is introduced into each of the holes 5, 6 according to the second embodiment, neighbouring elements will be fixed relative to each other.

The fixing means 7 has, according to one preferred embodiment, a length that corresponds to the height of the building element 1.

It is appropriate that the lowermost row of building elements 1 be placed onto a supporting beam 19 that is provided with holes 20 for the said fixing means. When the fixing means 7 has a length that corresponds to the height of the building element 1, the said holes 20 in the beam 19 are created with a depth that corresponds to half of the height of the fixing means. The consequence of this is that the junctions between the fixing means will be located in the centre of the elements, as shown in FIG. 2 at the left stack of fixing means 7.

It is preferred that the pointed part 2 and the said cavity 3 lie in a horizontal plane during assembly, that the with of the element 1 in the horizontal plane exceeds at least 15 centimetres, and that its length in the horizontal plane has a standard dimension used in building modules, such as, for example, 60 centimetres.

According to another preferred embodiment, the height of the building element is approximately 10 to 20 centimetres.

FIG. 7 shows a corner element 21 that comprises two parts at an angle to each other, where one part 22 comprises the said pointed part 2 and where the second part 23 comprises the said cavity 3.

Insulation, or caulking, may be introduced between the building elements, and along a horizontal junction, in the form of a thin layer 24 of a felt like material. This material is thus laid on top of a layer of building elements before the next layer of building elements is laid. The felt like material may be provided with holes for the fixing means 7. On the other hand, it is possible that the fixing means may be pressed or hammered down through the felt like material, if this material has not been provided with holes. Thus, in this case the disk of felt like material is punched out by means of the fixing means will be positioned between two fixing means that have been positioned one on top of the other.

Alternatively, the building elements may be provided with longitudinal grooves 25, 26 in which a thread of an insulating material has been placed.

A sealed wall is achieved through the insulation material with respect to horizontal junctions. The wall will be essentially sealed also with respect to the vertical junctions as a consequence of the interaction of the said pointed part and the said cavities.

Certain elements intended to be placed one on top of the other may be provided with a further penetrating hole 28, which holes form a hole that passes through the complete wall from the top to the bottom when the elements have been placed on top of each other. It is preferable that an unbroken beam is arranged under the lowermost row and above the uppermost row of building elements, with corresponding penetrating holes. A draw rod of, for example, steel may be arranged through each such hole that passes through the wall, by means of which the building elements are drawn together in the vertical direction.

The invention makes it easy for an unskilled worker to assemble a wall. The building elements can be given such dimensions that they can easily be manually lifted. The form of the building elements, furthermore, means that they are cheap to manufacture. In addition, a fundamental heat insulation is achieved that is sufficient for most climatic zones, provided that the building elements are given a width of at least 20 centimetres.

A number of embodiments have been described above. It is, however, clear that the detailed design of the building elements may be varied without deviating from the fundamental concept that the building elements are to have a simple design that locks them to each other. The design of the fixing means may, furthermore, be varied.

Thus the present invention is not to be regarded as limited to the embodiments specified above, since it may be varied within the scope of the attached patent claims. 

1-9. (canceled)
 10. A building element of wood intended to be stacked on top of each other in order to form a wall of a building, where the element (1) is longitudinally extended and has a rectangular cross-section, where the element is designed with a protruding pointed piece (2) at its first end and designed with a point-shaped cavity (3) at its second end, where the pointed piece (2) and the point-shaped cavity (3) have the same shape such that the pointed piece of a first element fits into the said cavity of a second element, characterized in that penetration holes (4) are formed by building elements (1) that lie on top of and adjacent to each other, and in that fixing means (7) are available in order to fix neighbouring building elements to each other, in that the said fixing means (7) are extended pieces of wood with a said penetrating hole (4) in that the fixing means (7) has a length that corresponds to the height or the building element and in that the fixing means (7) are arranged such that the junction between the fixing means will be located in the centre of the elements (1).
 11. A building element according to claim 10 characterised in that a penetrating hole (4) is located along the longitudinal axis of symmetry (8) of each building element (1), which hole is located closer to one of the ends (2, 3) of the building element.
 12. A building element according to claim 10 characterised in that the two surfaces (11, 12) that form the said pointed part (2), and the two surfaces (13, 14) that form the said cavity (3), are provided with cavities (15-18) in the form of semicircles that together with a neighbouring building element form the said penetrating hole (4).
 13. A building element according to claim 10, characterized in that the pointed part (2) and the said cavity (3) lie in a horizontal plane during assembly, in that the width of the element (1) in the horizontal plane exceeds at least 15 centimeters, and in that its length in the horizontal plane has a standard dimension used in building modules, such as, for example, 60 centimeters.
 14. A building element according to claim 13, characterized in that the height of the building element (1) is approximately 10 to 20 centimeters.
 15. A building element according to claim 10, characterized in that a corner element (21) comprises two parts (22, 23) at an angle to each other, where one part (22) comprises the said pointed part (2) and where the second part (23) comprises the said cavity (3).
 16. A building element according to claim 10, characterized in that certain building elements are provided with a further penetrating hole (28), so located that a hole that passes through the complete wall from the lowermost element of a wall to the uppermost element of the wall is formed when the building elements have been placed on top of each other, where such a hole that passes through the wall is arranged to receive a draw rod in order to draw together the building elements in the vertical direction.
 17. A building element according to claim 11, characterized in that the pointed part (2) and the said cavity (3) lie in a horizontal plane during assembly, in that the width of the element (1) in the horizontal plane exceeds at least 15 centimeters, and in that its length in the horizontal plane has a standard dimension used in building modules, such as, for example, 60 centimeters.
 18. A building element according to claim 12, characterized in that the pointed part (2) and the said cavity (3) lie in a horizontal plane during assembly, in that the width of the element (1) in the horizontal plane exceeds at least 15 centimeters, and in that its length in the horizontal plane has a standard dimension used in building modules, such as, for example, 60 centimeters.
 19. A building element according to claim 11, characterized in that a corner element (21) comprises two parts (22, 23) at an angle to each other, where one part (22) comprises the said pointed part (2) and where the second part (23) comprises the said cavity (3).
 20. A building element according to claim 12, characterized in that a corner element (21) comprises two parts (22, 23) at an angle to each other, where one part (22) comprises the said pointed part (2) and where the second part (23) comprises the said cavity (3).
 21. A building element according to claim 11, characterized in that certain building elements are provided with a further penetrating hole (28), so located that a hole that passes through the complete wall from the lowermost element of a wall to the uppermost element of the wall is formed when the building elements have been placed on top of each other, where such a hole that passes through the wall is arranged to receive a draw rod in order to draw together the building elements in the vertical direction.
 22. A building element according to claim 12, characterized in that certain building elements are provided with a further penetrating hole (28), so located that a hole that passes through the complete wall from the lowermost element of a wall to the uppermost element of the wall is formed when the building elements have been placed on top of each other, where such a hole that passes through the wall is arranged to receive a draw rod in order to draw together the building elements in the vertical direction.
 23. A building element according to claim 13, characterized in that certain building elements are provided with a further penetrating hole (28), so located that a hole that passes through the complete wall from the lowermost element of a wall to the uppermost element of the wall is formed when the building elements have been placed on top of each other, where such a hole that passes through the wall is arranged to receive a draw rod in order to draw together the building elements in the vertical direction.
 24. A building element according to claim 14, characterized in that certain building elements are provided with a further penetrating hole (28), so located that a hole that passes through the complete wall from the lowermost element of a wall to the uppermost element of the wall is formed when the building elements have been placed on top of each other, where such a hole that passes through the wall is arranged to receive a draw rod in order to draw together the building elements in the vertical direction.
 25. A building element according to claim 15, characterized in that certain building elements are provided with a further penetrating hole (28), so located that a hole that passes through the complete wall from the lowermost element of a wall to the uppermost element of the wall is formed when the building elements have been placed on top of each other, where such a hole that passes through the wall is arranged to receive a draw rod in order to draw together the building elements in the vertical direction. 